Trials and Tribulations
by Running Unraveled
Summary: AU, as in gods are not gods in this fic. After Percy is left motherless, Poseidon must step up to the plate to raise the unruly 11 year old boy with all of the trials and tribulations that come with raising a troublesome boy. Add a lot of family drama and issues and you have got a recipe for disaster.
1. Chapter 1

**Trials and Tribulations Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson**

**Hey so this is my first fanfiction, and it is an AU. So please read and review, and enjoy.**

The ringing of the house phone awoke Poseidon at two in the morning. Grumbling he got out of bed and walked out into the hallway to answer the phone.

"Hello?" Poseidon said wearily as he rubbed a hand over his face.

"Hello is this Poseidon Olympian of Atlantis Stables?"

"Yes, now you better have a good reason for waking me up so early in the morning."

"Yes I am terribly sorry, I am calling you in regards to your son, Percy Jackson."

"My who?" Poseidon said, now fully awake.

"Your son, Percy," the man on the other end of the line sounded unsure, "I'm sorry maybe I should introduce myself I'm Detective Lopez of the New York City Police. We are calling because at 12:05 a.m. this morning we responded to a domestic violence call at the residence of one Gabriel Ugliano. When we arrived he was trying to break down a door with a knife in his hand. His wife, Sally Jackson, was lying bleeding on the floor. She died on the way to the hospital. We found Percy behind the door Mr. Ugliano was trying to break down, he had minor injuries, most likely sustained before he was barricaded in the closet. Now he said he didn't have any other relatives, but when we pulled his birth certificate you are listed as the father."

Poseidon was silent, trying to wrap his mind around what he had just been told. He had dated Sally 11 years ago when he and his now ex wife Amphitrite were going through a divorce.

"Sir?"

"Yes sorry, I'm still here."

"As you are Percy's only living relative, he is being released into your custody. Are you able to come to New York and pick him up?"

Poseidon nodded before he realized that the man couldn't see him, "Yeah sure I can do that. It will take me about 2 and a half hours to drive from Albany to New York City though."

"That's fine, the boy is spending the night at Mercy Hospital. Just go there when you arrive in the city and a nurse lead you to Percy's room."

3 hours later

The sun was just starting to rise when an exhausted Poseidon pulled into a parking spot and walked into the main entrance of the hospital.

Walking up to the receptionist, Janet, he asked where he was supposed to go. After typing in Percy's name onto the computer Janet led Poseidon toward the elevators, "Your son is on floor 3 room 303. If you get lost just look for the room with the cop outside it."

When the elevator stopped at Poseidon's floor he saw what Janet meant, because right outside of one of the doors was a very bored looking cop.

"Hi," Poseidon said in an unsure tone of voice as he approached the man.

"Please be the boy's father," the man said wearily before realizing he was being rude and straightening up, "I'm sorry I'm Detective Lopez, it has just been a long night, and getting a statement out of that boy was like pulling teeth."

"Why was that?" Poseidon asked.

"The kid doesn't talk, unless he wants to. We eventually bribed him with a soda and a few candy bars into talking to us. I talked to the teachers at his school and apparently that's not normal for him. He has ADHD, dyslexia too, so apparently he is always bouncing off the walls and talking to others," Detective Lopez filled Poseidon in before continuing, "Well now that you are here you can just sign for him on these papers and he's all yours."

Poseidon took the papers from the detective and as he signed he said, "The kid isn't a package, shouldn't I have to do more than just sign for him?"

"Not according to state law, you are listed as the father on the birth certificate, as well as in the victim's will."

"Her will?"

"Oh yeah, we found her will in a drawer in the house, it was after we contacted you, she left everything to her son and said that if anything were to happen to her to please contact his father, Poseidon Olympian."

Poseidon nodded, absorbing all the information as he finished filling out the paperwork and handed it back to Detective Lopez.

"Alright thank you very much," the detective said as he began to leave, "If we have any more questions for him we will call."

Poseidon just nodded as he approached the closed door that Percy was supposedly behind. He hadn't seen Percy since he was a baby. When Triton was 4 Poseidon and Amphitrite had been fighting lot so they decided to separate for a little while and see where it went from there. Then he met Sally Jackson. She was fun and energetic and taught him not to be so cynical all the time.

They fell in love in a whirlwind, and so when Sally told Poseidon she was pregnant, he was thrilled. The next nine months flew by and before he knew it Percy was born. Everything was going great until one day when Amphitrite showed up. She had shown up to deliver divorce papers to Poseidon, but when she saw Sally and Percy she lost it. Poor Poseidon tried to explain himself to Sally, saying that he had no interest in renewing his relationship with Amphitrite, but Sally was just so hurt and confused that she took Percy and left. Poseidon looked for them for months to no avail, he had given up hope that he would ever see Percy again, until now.

Taking a deep breath Poseidon opened the hospital room door. The room looked just like he expected, white walls with crisp, white sheets. The only thing that was missing from the bed was the patient, who was sitting on the window sill looking at the traffic below.

He looked up when he heard the door opening. He had a big black eye that almost hid the look of hope all over his face, like perhaps this was all a bad dream and his mom was coming to rescue him, but when he saw Poseidon standing there his face turned into a scowl.

"Who are you?" Percy demanded to know.

"My name is Poseidon-"

"That's a stupid name," Percy interrupted, "Why are you here? Because I told that cop I wasn't going to any orphanage."

"No don't worry you aren't going to an orphanage," Poseidon said trying to sound soothing, "You're going to come home with me instead."

"There is no way in hell I'm going home with you," The eleven year old said as he stood up, "I don't even know who you are!"

"Hey watch your mouth," Poseidon said sternly, "Where did you learn words like that?"

"I'll answer your question if you answer mine, who are you?"

"I'm your father," Poseidon said bluntly.

Percy backed away from Poseidon as if an invisible force had hit him, "Why are you here? Go away I don't need you."

"You don't have anyone else to take care of you Percy," Poseidon said with a sigh.

"My mom will look after me like she always has."

"Percy," Poseidon said unsure of how to continue, "You do know that your mother is dead right?"

"You're a liar," Percy shouted as he threw the nearby pillow at Poseidon, "You're all liars, my mom wouldn't die and leave me here all by myself."

"Hey whoa calm down kid," Poseidon said as Percy started punching him with his fists. He calmly caught Percy's hands in his own. Percy suddenly stiffened and his whole demeanor changed. He went from fighting and stubborn, to meek, quiet, and scared in seconds.

"Please let me go," Percy whispered. Poseidon was so shocked that he just nodded and let go. Percy shot away from Poseidon the second he let him go.

"I wasn't going to hurt you," Poseidon informed the shaking child.

"I- I just don't like people restraining me," Percy said timidly as he pulled his arms around his stomach. That was when Poseidon saw a nasty gash on Percy's right arm. It looked like it had been closed up with 14 stitches.

"Where did that come from?"

"Where the hell do you think it came from?" Percy snapped.

"Hey! I mean it, watch the language, my fifteen year old son doesn't get away with it, so I'm defiantly not going to let my 11 year old."

Percy looked down at his bare feet for a moment or two before he spoke again, "I got the cut from the same person I learned my "language" from. The same person that kil- hurt my mom."

Poseidon opened his mouth to say something but there was a knock on the door followed by it being pushed open by a nurse.

"Hi," she greeted cheerfully, "You must be Percy's father. I just need you to fill out the discharge papers and here is instructions on what to do with his arm and his medications."

"Don't trust him April," Percy said glaring at Poseidon, "He's probably a serial killer."

"Well then I guess you better watch out," April teased as she looked at Poseidon's ID and took the signed papers back from him. As she walked toward the door she turned around to Poseidon and mouthed, "Good luck".

Yeah he was going to need it.

**I know this one is short, but I wanted to get things set up. Also, if anyone has a good idea for Poseidon's last name that would be great, because right now I can think of nothing but Olympian. ;)**

**Anyway thanks for reading and please review so I know how I am doing!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Trials and Tribulations Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I don't own them**

They had been on the road heading to Poseidon's house for about thirty minutes before Percy spoke up, "Where do you live?"

"In Albany, on a horse ranch."

"Wow you own horses?"

"Yes, I run a rehabilitation center for them. Horses from bad pasts or with bad habits get sent there and I treat them. I keep the ones that I can't find a home for, but most go back to their owners or they are sold to loving families. My son, Triton, has a horse named Chariot, they compete in show jumping competitions."

"Who else lives on the farm?"

"Just me and the horses."

"What about your wife? Or Triton?"

"Triton lives with his mother during the school year. She lives about 30 minutes from the ranch. He spends the summers with me though, so you will get to meet him sometime this week when school gets out."

"Do you run the farm all by yourself?"

"No I have a couple of ranch hands, they will help me groom the horses, feed them, and clean up their stalls. I take care of my horse, Skylla, but I call her Sky and Triton takes care of his horse when he is there. I'll find some chores for you to do, you can probably help feed the horses or groom them. Have you ever ridden before?"

"My mom and I went riding a couple of times when we were on vacation."

"Well then you can pick out a horse with my help, and if I don't think you will go falling of him then you can ride him, maybe even compete if you want to."

"Can I help with the rehab horses?"

"Probably not, I don't even let Triton around them that much, they can be pretty wild and sometimes dangerous, but we will see."

"Do you have any other family?"  
>"What is this an interrogation?" Poseidon said with a chuckle.<p>

"I just like to know things."

"I have two brothers, Zeus and Hades, and one sister, Hestia. Zeus is my only younger sibling and he has five kids, Apollo and Artemis, who are twins, they are nineteen and should be getting back from visiting their mother in a few weeks, Hephaestus who is seventeen and Ares is fifteen are his children with his wife Hera, and his daughter Thalia is fourteen, Thalia's mom died when she was six and she went to live with Zeus and his wife.

My older brother Hades is married to a woman named Persephone and he has one son named Nico, who is eight, from his previous marriage. His first wife and daughter, Bianca, were killed in a car accident 4 years ago. And lastly, Hestia, my oldest sibling, well she is just Hestia. She works as a family therapist, she likes helping mend families back together."

"What do your brothers do?"

"Zeus is a judge and Hades is a medical examiner."

Percy wrinkled his nose in disguise, "Like the person that cuts dead people open?"

"Yeah," Poseidon said with a chuckle when he saw Percy's face, "Hades has always been a little odd. But I would rather spend time with him then Zeus. Zeus likes to throw temper tantrums when things don't go his way."

Poseidon opened his mouth to continue, but his phone ringing cut him off.

He looked at the caller id for a second before he groaned and answered, "Hello Amphitrite."

Percy could hear an annoying voice but couldn't tell what she was saying.

"Well what do you mean he isn't at your house," Poseidon exclaimed.

There was a moment of silence where Poseidon was listening to something the woman was saying before he continued, "No I'm not at the ranch I had to leave town to handle a, um," Poseidon said with a quick glance at Percy, "I had to handle a family emergency."

Percy glared at Poseidon at that comment.

Poseidon ignored the glare and continued, "Well I am pulling up to the ranch now, let me look around and I will call you back. Alright? Okay bye."

He put the phone in the cup holder as he turned onto a long dirt driveway, before stopping the car and looking at the glaring child beside him.

"What?"

"She doesn't know about me does she?," Percy asked angrily.

"No she doesn't," Poseidon said carefully, not wanting to anger the boy.

"Why are you embarrassed about me and Mom? So you thought that you would just leave us and pretend we didn't exist!" Percy shouted back.

"Percy, don't talk about things that you know _nothing_ about," Poseidon said firmly.

"You left us," Percy said as he crossed his arms.

Poseidon inwardly groaned before he took a deep breath, he wanted to explain to Percy, but he couldn't bring himself to.

"Percy let's just talk about this later okay?" Poseidon was exhausted, he didn't want to deal with this right now. Percy silently nodded and looked back out his window. Poseidon took this as his cue to continue to drive up the driveway where he quickly parked his truck and jumped out when he saw a figure sitting on his porch.

"Hey Dad!" An excited Triton said as he ran up to hug Poseidon.

"Triton! What are you doing here?"

"I missed you so I skipped school and took the bus here," Triton said casually, acting like nothing was wrong.

"Your mother is freaking out," Poseidon said angrily as he ran his hand through his hair. These boys were going to drive him crazy.

"Who's this?" Triton asked as he saw Percy approaching them.

"I'm Percy," Percy said as he stopped a few feet away from them with his arms crossed.

Triton sent his father a questioning look. Poseidon groaned and felt like banging his head into a wall, he had been hoping to have a little while to figure out how to explain this to Triton.

"Triton, when your mom and were separated, I dated a woman named Sally Jackson-" Poseidon started before Triton interrupted.

"Wait this is your kid?!"

"Yeah trust me I wasn't too thrilled either," Percy said while glaring at Triton.

"Boys," Poseidon interjected sternly before they could start fighting, "Triton go inside and call your mother. Percy come with me, I will show you around."

Percy silently trailed after Poseidon as he showed him around the ranch, looking when Poseidon pointed at something, but not really paying attention. All he really got from the tour was that the house and barn were close to each other, and that Poseidon had 500 acres of land. So basically he was rich.

"Where did you get the money for all this?" Percy blurted out before he could stop himself.

"I was an Olympic swimmer for a while, and I owned a few horses that were great race horses," Poseidon said looking back at Percy as they walked into the barn.

"Now my horse, Sky, is the palomino over there," Poseidon said as he pointed to the far right corner, "And Chariot, Triton's horse, is the bay right next to her. The horses on the left side of the barn are mostly rehab horses," Poseidon explained as he watched Percy wander around the stalls reading their names and looking at them. He turned away for a moment when he heard someone approaching them.

Triton kicked the ground as he approached his dad and his, ugh, brother.

"Mom is going to come by and drop off some of my stuff," Triton mumbled as he looked up at his father.

"And?"

"And I'm grounded for a week, and you are supposed to give me the worst chores around the ranch. Which means I guess I will be shoveling horse-" Triton began, but stopped as he looked behind Poseidon at something. Poseidon swung around in time to see Percy approaching the one stall he shouldn't.

Percy was walking to the last stall on the left. There was a nameplate that read "Blackjack", but Percy couldn't see him. He approached the stall, but stopped when he heard Poseidon yell something. As he turned to see what he wanted, a jet black horse head popped out from the stall and tried to bite Percy. Yelping, he jumped back and fell on the ground.

"Shut it," Percy said as he glared at Triton, who was laughing at him, as he got up from the ground.

"Sorry Percy," Poseidon said as he helped him stand up, "That's Blackjack, he is a little loco, even for me. He was caught in barbed wire when I found him, and he looked like he had been abused before then. Doesn't really like anyone to come near him, if he doesn't start letting us help him soon, we may have to put him down."

Percy seemed upset by that statement, but didn't say anything. Triton opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a horn honking as it drove up.

"Mom's here with my stuff."

"Thanks Captain Obvious," Poseidon said with a sigh as he motioned for Percy to follow him.

"Speaking of stuff, I don't have any clothes besides the one on my back."

Poseidon bit back a groan. He solved one son's problem, and the other one managed to find another. Pulling out his cell phone, he quickly texted Hestia.

_I need clothes for an eleven year old boy, can you get some?_

_ Sure... I probably have some of Apollo, Hephaestus, and Ares old clothes in a Goodwill pile somewhere. Why?_

_ I will explain when you drop them off._

_ Okay, see you in a little while._

Poseidon finished reading the last text as Amphitrite approached.  
>"Who's this?"<p>

"I'm Percy, your son's brother," Percy said casually, like he was saying his favorite food was ice cream.

"Do you remember Sally?" Poseidon asked as he rubbed his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Amphitrite's eyes hardened, "Oh yes, I remember Sally. She's -"

Poseidon quickly interjected before Amphitrite could say anything that could upset Percy, "Yes that's here."

"Well what is he doing _here_?"

"Maybe I just felt like having a super awkward family reunion," Percy replied sarcastically, "Or you know maybe because my psycho step-father killed her."

Percy took off running down the driveway after that statement. As he ran tears started to blur the landscape around him. He kept running, planning on running all the way back to New York if he had too. Well until a red jeep almost flattened him to a stop. He quickly dove out of the way, hitting the ground hard as he heard car brakes squeal to a stop.

"Oh my god! You are okay?" A women in her mid 40s with light brown hair and hazel eyes demanded to know as she kneeled over him. Percy who had the wind knocked out of him could only nod as she helped him to his feet.

"Are you sure you are okay? That looked like a really hard fall."

"I'm fine, trust me really, I've had worse," Percy said as he looked down at the ground, kicking his feet and watching the dust clouds until a few red drops fell onto the dirt.

"Oh great," Percy moaned as he looked at his arm, where a few stitches at popped, "He is gonna flip out when he sees this."

"Percy! Hestia!" Poseidon yelled as he ran to where they were standing, "What happened?" he demanded before turning to Percy who was trying to look as casual as possible, "Are you okay?"

"I'm so sorry Poseidon," Hestia instantly started apologizing, "I almost ran him over! He just came out of nowhere, and I think I hurt his arm," Hestia said as she gestured to Percy's now profusely bleeding arm.

Percy shook his head as if to deny the fact, "No really I'm fine she is overreacting, and _hey_ _don't touch!_" Percy shouted as he tried to yank his arm from Poseidon's hand.

"Just hold still for a second and let me look at it," Poseidon said calmly as he ignored the death glare he received from Percy, "It looks like you popped a few stitches open."

"I _know_ popped a few stitches, now let _go_," Percy said as he successfully yanked his arm free. Percy looked like he was about to continue when Hestia broke in.

"Would someone please tell me what is going on?"  
>"Hestia this is Percy," Poseidon said as he took a deep breath trying to figure out how to phrase the next part, "He is my-"<p>

"Bastard, love child; take your pick," Percy said with a scowl as he started to walk back up the drive to the ranch.

"Where is Sally?" Hestia asked as she put two and two together to figure out who Percy's mom was.

Poseidon just shook his head sadly and walked up the drive after Percy.


End file.
